Heineken has started legal action against the U.S. government to recover import duties the brewer says were wrongly collected. CFO Harold van den Broek told shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting that Heineken had paid “tens of millions of EUR” too much on raw materials and finished products imported into the USA, according to DutchNews.nl and NRC.
The case follows a February 20, 2026 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which found that U.S. President Donald Trump had exceeded his authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 to impose wide-ranging tariffs (inside.beer, 2.4.2025). The ruling opened the way for companies to seek refunds on duties collected under that legal basis.
According to NL Times, the U.S. administration has set aside USD 166 billion for potential repayments. More than 3,000 companies have reportedly already filed lawsuits or claims, including major logistics and retail groups such as FedEx, UPS and Costco.
Heineken has not disclosed the exact amount it wants to recover. The lawsuit nevertheless shows how strongly U.S. trade policy has affected international brewers, especially those importing beer, raw materials or packaging into the American market.
The issue had already become visible in 2025, when Heineken warned that U.S. tariff uncertainty, including duties on canned beer and aluminum cans, could influence spending and investment decisions. At the same time, the brewer continued to describe the USA as a solid market and confirmed its 2026 outlook, including expected organic operating profit growth of 2% to 6%.
After the Supreme Court ruling, Trump responded with a new temporary 10% import duty under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. That measure is limited to 150 days and is separate from the tariffs now being challenged by Heineken and other companies.
